G.H. Patel College Of engg.

& Technology
V.v. Nagar

ALTERNATOR
Prepared by :
Parth patel : 140110109039
Prashant Patel : 140110109041
Brijesh Zala : 140110109063
Ankit sosa : 140110109054
 CONTENT

• Definition and Types of Alternator

• Working Principle of Alternator
• Construction of Alternator
• Armature Reaction in Alternator or Synchronous Generator
• Armature Winding of Alternator
• Rating of Alternator
• Application of Induction Generator
 DEFINITION AND TYPES OF ALTERNATOR
• An alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form
of alternating current. Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field with stationary armature.
• It is also known as synchronous generator.

According to application According to their design

o Automotive type - used in modern automobile.

o Diesel electric locomotive type - used in diesel
electric multiple unit. o Salient pole type.
o Marine type - used in marine. o Cylindrical rotor type.
o Brush less type - used in electrical power
generation plant as main source of power.
o Radio alternators - used for low brand radio
frequency transmission.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF ALTERNATOR
• The working principle of alternator depends upon Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction which says
the current is induced in the conductor inside a magnetic field when there is a relative motion between
that conductor and the magnetic field.

#Working
1. For understanding working of alternator let's assume a single rectangular turn placed in between two
opposite magnetic pole as shown.
 The single turn loop ABCD starts rotating clockwise against axis a-b

 After 90° rotation the side AB or conductor AB of the loop comes in front of S-pole and conductor CD
comes in front of N-pole.
 As per Fleming right hand rule the direction of this current will be from A to B. At the same time
conductor CD comes under N pole and here also if we apply Fleming right hand rule we will get the
direction of induced current and it will be from C to D.
 Now after clockwise rotation of another 90° the turn ABCD comes at vertical position as shown below.
At this position tangential motion of conductor AB and CD is just parallel to the magnetic flux lines,
hence there will be no flux cutting that is no current in the conductor.

 While the turn ABCD comes from horizontal position to vertical position, angle between flux lines and
direction of motion of conductor, reduces from 90° to 0° and consequently the induced current in the
turn is reduced to zero from its maximum value.
 As at this position the turn comes at horizontal position from its vertical position, the current in the
conductors comes to its maximum value from zero. That means current is circulating in the close turn
from point B to A, from A to D, from D to C and from C to B

 During every full revolution of the turn, the current in the turn gradually reaches to its maximum
value then reduces to zero and then again it comes to its maximum value but in opposite direction
and again it comes to zero.

 In this way the current completes one full sine wave form during each 360° revolution of the turn.
Thus an alternating current is produced in a turn is rotated inside a magnetic field. From this, we
come to the actual working principle of alternator.
 CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERNATOR

Pulley Rotor Collector-ring

end Shield

Rotor
Drive End shield
Stator
I. Stator :
• Stator is the stationary part of the alternator and contains 3-phase armature windings. Stator core is
built up of silicon steel laminations to reduce eddy current losses.
• The laminations are provided with slots on its inner periphery and are packed tightly together by
cast iron frame.
• The three phase windings are placed in these slots and serves as the armature windings of the
alternator.
• The armature windings are always connected in star and the neutral is connected to ground.
I. Rotor :
• The rotor is rotating part of the alternator. It carries a field winding which is supplied with dc current
through two slip rings by a separate dc source.
• This dc source (exciter) is generally a small dc generator mounted on the shaft of the alternator.

• There are two types of rotors :

i. Salient pole type
ii. Cylindrical rotor type
 Salient pole type

• Salient means sticking out or projected out. A

salient pole is a magnetic pole that is projected
out of the rotor surface.
• The salient pole alternators are slow-speed
machines, speed varying from 150 to 600 rpm.
These alternators are driven by hydraulic
turbines. They are also called water-wheel
generators or hydro-generators
• Salient type rotor has non-uniform air-gap and
two or four poles
• Salient-pole construction can not be made strong
enough to withstand the mechanical stress at
higher speeds
 Cylindrical rotor type
• Cylindrical rotor is non-projecting surface type
• Cylindrical rotor type rotor has small diameter
and large length
• Cylindrical rotor type rotor is used for high speed
and has uniform air-gap
• Cylindrical rotors have four or more poles

• High speed alternators (1500 – 3000 rpm) are

driven by steam turbines and use non-salient
type rotors due to following reason :
– Gives noiseless operation at high speeds
– Flux is uniformly distributed along the periphery, so proper
sine wave is obtained which gives better emf
 ARMATURE REACTION IN ALTERNATOR OR
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
• Every rotating electrical machine works based on Faraday's law.

• Every electrical machine requires a magnetic field and a coil (Known as armature) with a relative
motion between them.
• In case of an alternator, we supply electricity to pole to produce magnetic field and output power is
taken from the armature. Due to relative motion between field and armature, the conductor of
armatures cut the flux of magnetic field and hence there would be changing flux linkage with these
armature conductor.
• According to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction there would be an emf induced in the
armature. Thus, as soon as the load is connected with armature terminals, there is an current flowing
in the armature coil.
• As soon as current starts flowing through the armature conductor there is one reverse effect of this
current on the main field flux of the alternator (or synchronous generator). This reverse effect is
referred as armature reaction in alternator or synchronous generator.
•
• The armature reaction of alternator or synchronous generator, depends upon the phase angle
between, stator armature current and induced voltage across the armature winding of alternator.
• The phase difference between these two quantities, i.e. Armature current and voltage may vary from
- 90° to + 90° .
• If this angle is θ, then,

• When θ = 0 (Unity Power Factor)

• When θ = 90° (Lagging Zero Power Factor)

• When θ = - 90° (Leading Power Factor)

A. When θ = 0 (Unity Power Factor)
• At unity power factor, the angle between armature current I and induced emf E, is zero. That
means, armature current and induced emf are in same phase
B. When θ = 90° (Lagging Zero Power Factor)
– At lagging zero electrical power factor, the armature current lags by 90° to induced emf in the
armature. As the emf induced in the armature coil due to main field flux. The emf leads the main
field flux by 90°.
C. When θ = - 90° (Leading Power Factor)
• At leading power factor condition, armature current I leads induced emf E by an angle 90°. Again,
we have shown just, field flux leads, induced emf E by 90°.
 ARMATURE WINDING OF ALTERNATOR
• Armature winding in an alternator may be either closed type open type. Closed winding forms star
connection in armature winding of alternator.
• Common properties of armature winding.
– First and most important property of an armature winding is, two sides of any coil should be under
two adjacent poles. That means, coil span = pole pitch.
– The winding can either be single layer or double layer.
– Winding is so arranged in different armature slots, that it must produce sinusoidal emf.
• There are different types of armature winding used in alternator. The windings can be classified as
– Single phase winding.
– Lap winding
– wave winding
– Concentric winding
– Full pitched coil winding
– fractional pitched coil winding.
• Single phase and poly phase armature • Lap winding
winding
• wave winding. • Concentric winding
 RATING OF ALTERNATOR
• Power rating of alternator is defined as the power which can be delivered by an alternator safely and
efficiently under some specific conditions.
• The power rating of an alternator is so specified, that at that maximum load, the temperature rise of
different parts of the machine does not cross their specified safe limit.
• The copper losses i.e. I2R loss varies with armature current and core losses vary with voltage.

• The temperature rise or heating of alternator depends upon cumulative effect of copper losses and
core losses. As there is no role of power factor upon these losses, the rating of alternator generally
given in VA or KVA or MVA.
• The electrical output of an alternator is product of power factor and VA and output is expressed in KW.
Some times alternators are also rated by its power instead of VA rating.
 Standered rating Of Alternators

Kilo Watt Rating 5000

Power Factor 0.85 lag
KVA Rating 5,88,000
Stator Volt 21,000
Stator Ampere 16,200
Rotor Volt 340
Rotor Ampere 4040
R.P.M 3000
Hz 50
Phase 3
Armature Connection Double Star

Coolant Water & Hydrogen (Forced)

Gas Pressure 3.5 bar

Insulation Type +F

Specification IS5422 & IEC34

 APPLICATION OF INDUCTION GENERATOR
• The conditions when the induction machine will behave as an induction generator are written below:
I. Slip becomes negative due to this the rotor current and rotor emf attains negative value.
II. The prime mover torque becomes opposite to electric torque.

• These conditions can be achieve when an induction machine is coupled with the prime mover whose
speed can be controlled. If the speed of the prime mover is increased such that the slip becomes
negative .
• Due to this, all the conditions that we have mentioned above will become fulfilled and machine will
behave like an induction generator.
• Induction generator is not a self excited machine therefore in order to develop the rotating magnetic
field, it requires magnetizing current and reactive power.
• we can have a self excited or isolated induction generation in one case if we will use capacitor bank
for reactive power supply instead of ac supply system

• The function of the capacitor bank is to provide the lagging reactive power to the
induction generator as well as load
• Externally excited generators are widely used for regenerative breaking of hoists driven
by the three phase induction motors.

• The efficiency of the externally excited generator is not so good.

• We cannot use externally excited generator at lagging power factor which major drawback of
this type of generator.

• The amount of reactive power used to run these types of generator required is quite large.

• Self excited generators are used in the wind mills. Thus this type of generator helps in converting
the unconventional sources of energy into electrical energy
Thank You